WAUWATOSA — A date has been set for a hearing to decide the future of suspended Wauwatosa Police officer Joseph Mensah. The city’s Police and Fire Commission met Wednesday and set Dec. 16 as the beginning of a hearing stemming from a complaint filed by the family of Jay Anderson.
Jay Anderson is one of three people killed by Officer Mensah while he was on duty in a five-year period. In all of the cases, the District Attorney has not filed criminal charges. Despite this, the Anderson family and others say Mensah should be fired.
Before Wednesday’s meeting, several community groups held a rally outside City Hall. They demanded that Jospeh Mensah be fired. Kamila Ahmed of “The People’s Revolution” said “there’s no other job where you can kill 3 people and still be employed. Wauwatosa’s mayor and FPC are complicit with continuing to pay a murderer.”
During Wednesday's meeting, Attorney Kimberly Motley went on record to say her side had originally asked the hearing be held in October. She and commission attorney Chris Smith butted heads over the ability of the commission to fire Mensah. Smith said “by law they are not allowed to do that we must have a hearing, a fair hearing.” But Motley pressed that Mensah was found to have violated department policy, and that could be handled immediately.
Mensah’s attorney was present during Wednesday’s meeting. Technology issues prohibited him from speaking. In responding to community cries that Mensah may kill again while on duty. Attorney Jon Cermele has said in the past, Mensah can not be fired for something that hasn’t happened yet without violating due process.
View Wednesday's meeting below:
